It would be impractical to create a light gun for smartphones and tablets, so Craneballs Studios reimagined the arcade shooting experience for iOS devices with Overkill 2. Similar to its predecessor, this free-to-play iPhone and iPad game challenges users to outlast waves of progressively difficult soldiers. Its biggest selling point are the 31 painstakingly-detailed pistols, sniper rifles, and machine guns, all of which players can view/manipulate in 3D and purchase upgrades for. That said, both gun and video game enthusiasts should give this title serious consideration.

What’s Hot

In a sense, Overkill 2 is as simple or as deep as you want it to be. From a casual perspective, the game provides arcade-style thrills for minutes per day, as you aim the crosshairs or targeting reticule around the screen and rapidly press the shooting button to fire, scoring numerous headshots on the grunts and grenadiers wandering into view.

As for hardcore players, they’re free to obsess over weapons by adding stocks, extended magazines, longer barrels, dot sights, and even a grenade launcher attachment. From there, gamers can take part in an endless Survival Mode to see where they rank on the global leaderboards, create profiles to monitor their stats, and unlock call-signs to personalize the experience. Depending how much virtual and real cash people are willing to spend, the developers provide in-app purchase options, along with special black market deals.

What’s Not

Just about everything in this game is on the pricey side, which gives players two choices in order to advance: continue to pay the IAP costs or grind for hours in the hope of acquiring a more powerful gun. The latter, of course, will involve replaying previously completed levels.

The Verdict: Gun Porn

Although we would have preferred a more on-rails experience similar to Sega’s House of the Dead, Overkill 2 packs in plenty of bullets, explosions, and blood to make it a personal favorite. We can only hope the Android version, pulled due to bugs, makes a welcome reappearance in the near future.